


Touch Me

by zoellick



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotionally Repressed, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23081878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoellick/pseuds/zoellick
Summary: Merlin dressing him was becoming increasingly difficult every day.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 291





	Touch Me

**Author's Note:**

> who would have thought, me back on the merthur train?

Merlin dressing him was becoming increasingly difficult every day. With his deft hands making quick work of the task, Arthur watched as he knotted drawstrings and smoothed out wrinkles in fabric. Merlin’s hands would skate along his broad chest with a slow, deliberate movement which somehow always managed to take Arthur’s breath away. The worst of it, if the sweet torture could in fact be described as bad, was how close Merlin had to be to him the entire time. When he was tying his trousers, Merlin was inches away from him, head ducked and exposing the long line of his neck. His head was so close that Arthur feared his desire to press his face into his hair would genuinely overcome him and he would look like even more of a prat than Merlin already thought he was. When Merlin looked up to inspect him, checking each item of clothing was up to his standards, it sent a thrill through him. What Arthur would do to have Merlin look at him like that always.

Getting into his armour was somehow both easier and more painful. It was the lack of touch, Arthur once decided after the heady feeling of having Merlin so near him had passed. He was protected by the light chainmail as Merlin tugged the leather straps together and fastened them. Yet, it was ridiculously frustrating to have Merlin’s long fingers so close to him without them touching his body. The metal sucked out all the warmth. Honestly, if Arthur were as sexually repressed as he acted around Merlin, he might have called the whole thing a tease.

As it was, Merlin wasn’t a tease, but in fact doing his job. Just like he had all these years and would hopefully continue for many more years. It was a strange thought, thinking about a future where Merlin wasn’t his manservant. Something that Arthur never really considered despite how obvious it was that Merlin couldn’t stay in this job forever. According to Gaius, he was getting pretty skilful at medicinal practices which, given the right placement, would surely lead to a more comfortable life than what Arthur provided. Maybe he would have to give him a raise, or some time off. The raise sounded less painful; he really didn’t want to put up with one of the other servants for a week. As cheeky and annoying as Merlin could be, the ones who were silent and still apart from the occasional, “Yes, Sire!” were worse by far.

Merlin eyed him funnily, which only meant that Arthur had let his emotions slip onto his face again. When he was thinking about something like this, Merlin could always tell, said that the straining effort of thinking was always too much for him. “You look plenty deep in thought there, Sire, are you sure your brain can keep up?” He tucked his hands around Arthur’s neck- like the way a lady would hold him were they to dance- and folded over his collar. As he smoothed it out, he looked up, a funny quirked-up smile on his lips that always revealed itself when he was teasing Arthur.

The question slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Would you like a raise?” It was a pathetic attempt to keep Merlin all for himself, but the image of some other servant touching him like this was frightening enough to at least try. Merlin’s smile went from that funny thing to a broad, yet amused grin.

“Where’s all this coming from?” He replied, still standing close even though he was no longer dressing Arthur. All that was left was his belt, hung over the folding screen. “What do I need a raise for?” He cocked his head with that same puppy grin, looking at Arthur the same way you might look at a child as they talked about their grand ideas of sprouting wings or becoming an animal. Endearing, cute maybe, but not serious.

“Some time off then.” He countered, even though he was inwardly shivering at the thought of being abandoned. Merlin frowned, which was worse than the pity smile, then pulled away to reach for the belt. He held it in his hands limply as he turned to face Arthur again, a few steps further away.

“Are you _sure_ you’re feeling well?” Merlin laughed, attempting to twist back into his previous teasing tone. He even happily lumbered forwards, hand stretched out, and Arthur could only watch with wide eyes as he pressed his palm to Arthur’s forehead. It was supposed to be a little joke, he was sure, but Arthur’s whole face, neck, and body flushed at the feeling. _One touch_ , he mentally chastised himself, _is that all it takes?_

Merlin jerked his hand away. “Oh, Arthur, you are feeling hot. Maybe I should get you some medicine, I don’t want you catching a cold.”

Arthur grabbed Merlin by the wrist before he could do something stupid like feed him unnecessary medicine. He ducked his head, remembering his hot face. “I am not ill, Merlin. Give me my belt.” It was better to be dismissive and short, Arthur had learnt over the years, otherwise he would go on and on about the issue until Arthur would finally snap. If that happened, then he would have to deal with a sulky Merlin which was infinitely worse than a cheery Merlin, so Arthur knew he had to stop it before it all got out of hand.

Merlin nodded, a little jerkily, then pulled his hand away. Arthur hadn’t realised he was still holding it and refused to flush more at that. He drew his belt through the loops and fastened it. Merlin was watching him.

Arthur couldn’t cope with the stilted awkwardness that had fallen over them. It was his own fault, he knew that. But the way Merlin affected him wasn’t easy to navigate, as much as he tried. Often now, he found himself stumbling over words and ruining easy conversation between them, simply because Merlin had stood too close, or maybe his smile had been just a little too bright. Ridiculous things that shouldn’t have any hold over him. He had to find a way to stop feeling that way, but for now, he would just have to clean up his mistakes.

It would have been normal for Arthur to dismiss Merlin now. He was dressed and ready for the day and Merlin had chores of his own to get on with. But with the cold feeling between them, Arthur thought it would only seem harsh. He wracked his brain for something cheery to say, maybe something at Merlin’s expense, but everything he thought of was too obvious or untimely.

Instead, he slapped Merlin on the shoulder and gave him his best kingly look, and said, “Give some thought to what I’ve said. You’ve been with me longer than any other servant, surely that deserves a reward.”

Thankfully, Merlin’s face scrunched up in an amused smile again. “How bad were the previous ones if _I’m_ the one you haven’t sacked yet?”

Arthur huffed out an easy laugh. “Get to work, Merlin, or you _will_ be sacked.”


End file.
